This commercialization of genome-editing technologies is a place where ethics and social justice combine; issues of equity such as who has access to gene editing technology and what they are able to use it for may increase existing social inequalities. With the birth of the first CRISPR babies, the future depicted in the science fiction film Gattaca becomes slightly closer to reality (in the film people who have the resources to take advantage of the potential of gene editing for human enhancement gain social and economic advantages over those who do not edit their future offspring, creating lastly social inequality between the two classes and limiting the autonomy of future generations). Indeed, CRISPR technology is becoming cheaper all the time, and is now publicly available at a low cost with DIY gene editing kits; for example, the Odin CRISPR gene-editing kit retails for $159. While this is not the same level of experimentation as the recent germ-line gene edits on human embryos (and most people cannot perform germ-line gene edits in their garage), the increased access to similar technology by people who are not biologists highlights the need to extend bioethical debates about how to ethically use CRISPR into the public sphere. With the growth of lower cost and unregulated use of gene editing technologies, many experts are concerned about accidents in experiments on humans or viruses which could have harmful or far-reaching consequences, as well as the potential for more nefarious uses like the creation of biological weapons.

Natalie Ball and Gregor Wolbring, “Portrayals of and Arguments Around Different Eugenic Practices: Past and Present. International Journal of Disability, Community, and Rehabilitation 12, no. 2 (2013), http://www.ijdcr.ca/VOL12_02/articles/ball.shtml.